Perceived expectation of short delivery times and narrow reception windows. Real-time inventory management and replacement management. When things calm down, there will be a clear winner in ultra-fast delivery. The only way to get to the top is to take control of your delivery services (instead of using external suppliers) and increase store automation.
There’s no question that online grocery orders are here to stay. Access to fresh produce, milk, eggs, toilet paper and many more edible items isn’t changing. However, the process by which those products are delivered to the consumer from distribution centers is being redesigned to meet changing consumer demands. And with that come new challenges, technologies and strategies.
Let’s take a look at the story first. Consumers expect the combination of in-service forms they want for unattended grocery delivery services. While this huge jump can be attributed in part to the pandemic, forecasters predict that many grocery shoppers will continue to buy food online because of convenience. Finally, this research adds to the literature on last-mile delivery by exploring an emerging, technology-based delivery service.
Situational factors raise consumer expectations for unsupervised grocery delivery services. To support further development of the theory, this study presents six proposals on the types, forms and determinants of customer expectations in the face of unattended grocery delivery. A multi-case study of potential pioneering companies was conducted to explore customer expectations about unsupervised grocery delivery services. Given these limitations, retailers are looking for new technological solutions and the development of unattended delivery services, such as delivery in the car or in the fridge.
The study’s findings indicate that respondents identified social interactions, such as talking to neighbors or service staff, as unavoidable when buying food and avoidable when resorting to unsupervised food delivery. The findings of the case study indicate that households expect that unsupervised food delivery will help them save time, gain flexibility and benefit from the ease of use of the service. Exhaustive models are particularly relevant to customer expectations about e-grocery delivery services, as many points of contact with market players stimulate psychology, the decision-making process, and consumer expectations before the delivery experience. Regarding the daily stress triggers mentioned above, most households reported that their schedules could change unexpectedly, making it difficult to plan food deliveries.
Early adopters of e-grocery delivery services generally prioritize activities other than grocery shopping, such as personal hobbies or spending time with family. As customer shopping habits and expectations continue to evolve, with an increasing trend toward e-commerce, forecasts of online grocery sales seem to justify a departure from the tried-and-true self-service model. This study contains the first in-depth analysis of customer expectations for unsupervised grocery delivery services, which are increasingly being used for last-mile electronic grocery delivery. The study reveals several forms of desired service, expected standard service and expected service in unattended grocery delivery.